How do I use Aliexpress?

[MM]

How do I shop on Aliexpress?

My husband will buy stuff for me from Amazon. He uses Pay pal. I have no idea how to do that or use internet banking.

I was to shop on aliexpress because there are many chinese made items I want to buy.

This is what I am thinking. I heard about prepaid visa cards. Can I somehow set one up at my bank and pay money onto it at the bank machine. Then if I put about $100 on it then I could shop online. Would that be a good idea?

I heard about western union and then you put the order on aliexpress and get a purchase number and the amount owed. Then you have to go to western union and pay within a day so the money will be received by aliexpress and the order will go through. So everytime western union would charge $5 or so fee.

So what is a good idea for me?

[142857]

Pre paid credit card is good.

When shopping online keep track of what you buy vs what comes out of your account. Any discrepancies you can claim back through your bank. My wife got scammed through an online purchase a few weeks ago, I made sure she got back every cent.

Contrary to popular belief credit cards are the safest way to shop.

[MM]

We knew who had their credit card info stolen. They had fake cards made up. It was a huge fraud investigation.

I think everyone has been ripped off a few times.

[MM]

My husband told me that he does not want me to use prepaid credit cards. Also some online vendors do not accept them. They can be stolen and then you lose the total amount.

I find this is frustrating because I would like more independence financially. I guess that would come if I actually made more money. So really my wish list is just that a wish.

[d_olson27]

(10-22-2018 03:27 PM)MM Wrote:  My husband told me that he does not want me to use prepaid credit cards. Also some online vendors do not accept them. They can be stolen and then you lose the total amount.

You have the same risk with regular credit cards or debit cards. At least if a prepaid card gets stolen, you're only out the amount you paid for it.

[142857]

(10-22-2018 04:03 PM)d_olson27 Wrote:  

(10-22-2018 03:27 PM)MM Wrote:  My husband told me that he does not want me to use prepaid credit cards. Also some online vendors do not accept them. They can be stolen and then you lose the total amount.

You have the same risk with regular credit cards or debit cards. At least if a prepaid card gets stolen, you're only out the amount you paid for it.

If it gets stolen and you report it stolen then you are fine. Even if they blow all your money.

With credit card transactions the account holder is required to authorise all purchases. If someone else uses your card to buy stuff without your permission, you don't have to wear the cost.

If it's a prepaid card and it is used as a debit card and transactions don't go through a credit card network then you may not have the same fundamental protections.

[d_olson27]

I was thinking in terms of the information being stolen, which can go on for some time before you notice. But, yes, that would be the course of action for that.

[142857]

If your information is stolen it's generally because you purchased something through a merchant who stored your card details insecurely. Regardless, it doesn't matter how much someone spends using your card details, if you personally don't authorise the purchase you don't have to pay.

That's why you should always pay for stuff using a scheme card like Visa or MasterCard. Don't pay for stuff using bank transfers, for example, unless it's someone you trust 100%

[d_olson27]

And I guess there isn't a mechanism to report a stolen prepaid card. That's the kind of thing that should be handled like cash.

[142857]

(10-24-2018 10:03 AM)d_olson27 Wrote:  And I guess there isn't a mechanism to report a stolen prepaid card. That's the kind of thing that should be handled like cash.

There are multiple types of prepaid card. I think of the type I have which is in my name, and I can report that stolen and I am protected from fraud. I'm not sure of the cards that work like a proxy for cash.